The Save From Pain
by Bearose
Summary: Alice is captured by the Volturi, the story follows the trials that result from that, the road to recovery, and the anger that arises when Aro does not get his way. There's new characters introduced, and old relationships resurace. Definitely contains some romance, but also some violence and other. You'll have to read it to find everything out!
1. Chapter 1

The pain in my body rattled, beating against my brain, breaking me from the inside out. I tried to shut out the pain. Remind myself that it was only a mind trick, but that didn't actually help anything. It just made the realization that I was actually here even worse.

I heard her trill little laugh ring out, as I screamed. Aching, burning for someone to come save me, but knowing they wouldn't. She kept whispering threats at me, stringing together false tales of how they killed my family and how everything I love had been destroyed. That, combined with the strain on my mind from being tortured, created a pain in my heart so deep I'd wished I was dead.

Aro trapped me in Volterra, held me prisoner until I agreed to become part of the Volturi. He wrote to me, saying that he was going to kill Jasper if I did not visit.

I responded by coming. He responded by holding me captive until I agreed to remain with them, or they would kill off my family. So I let Jane torture me day by day, it wasn't too bad in the beginning. But they were starving me too. And I couldn't go on much longer without any food. I was repeatedly offered human blood, but always refused to drink it, no matter how strong the temptations were.

It had been three months since they took me from my family. Three months since I last saw Jasper. Three months since my last hunt. And I was starting to go a little crazy. I never knew what could happen to a vampire if they didn't eat ever. But the effects were starting to hit me. I ached. As if I was a human, and had the flu. Everything was sore and burning. And I had this awful shake. Like a nervous tick sort of thing. Now whether or not that was from Jane or the lack of food I don't know, but I know I never had that before.

I would black out. Not like fall asleep, but black out, unto like a half coma, where I couldn't see anything, but I could hear and feel. And my visions all but stopped. Which terrified me. I had no idea how anyone was faring with my absence. I made sure to leave them with out a trace, and could only hope that Jasper still had hope that I was alive, and was still with our family, even though I was not.

When I first arrived here my plan was not to stay. It was really not in my intentions to be held prisoner either. But apparently I was just a little crazy, because both things happened, and there was really nothing in my power that I could even attempt to do to stop it from continuing.

After Jane left I had a black out session, my body shook on its own accord, and I was helpless to stop it, as it was of the not eating shaking habit I was developing.

Then Aro walked in, and said something quietly. I was regaining sight when he said my name. I squeezed my eyes shut really tight hoping I could block him out. I didn't work

"Alice. We have a new friend we would like you to meet." His voice was dripping with a sinister mockery. I wanted to refuse, but that usually resulted in more pain for me, so I struggled to my feet (another effect of starvation. Weakness) and he half led half carried me out of my giant cell like bedroom into a huge dining hall, where I had never actually been before.

There were these two huge long oak tables running parallel from each other, and it struck me as something that should have been seen in a Harry Potter movie. Sitting at a very far end of one of the tables was all of the Volturi, the guards and the wives. Then one more.

He was a younger vampire like me, I mean appearance wise. He looked 20 maybe 22, and had a very strong build. Short, blonde hair sat on the top of his head. Instantly a picture of Jasper filled my mind. His eyes were red, which did't surprise me, and I imagined he would be tall, but not as tall as Jasper, maybe Edward's height. The way he looked at me reminded me of a mixture between Rosalie's resting face and Esme's compassionate one. I couldn't tell if he wanted to kill me or wrap me up in a blanket and send me home.

It took me a second before I realized I knew him. His name was in my head before anyone even told it to me. But I had no idea why he was such a familiar face to me. It was odd really. But I spoke his name anyway, wanting him to know that I recognized him, since you could tel from his face that he obviously recognized me.

"Michael." It was kind of a breath. Like I didn't actually say it. But he still smiled.

"It's been a long time Mary-Alice." He smiled, which caused decade old memories to flood back as if someone broke a dam.

_Mary-Alice! Come on! Now! Quickly!' I was in my hospital gown, Michael was leading from a dark space, out of the building. I took one chance to look back before he was running with me, on his back, holding on tighter than ever before. Shaking with the fear. This man was saving me from my death. But I had no idea where he was taking me, or why it had to be so dark. He brought ,e into a dark cave, and looked at me, smiling hugely. 'We did it baby.' His words shocked me, and I looked at him blankly. 'Mary, we are free, they can't hurt you anymore. ' he grabbed my hands up in his ,I stayed silent, not knowing if this was part of some new therapy technique. His head shot up and I was sure he was working for my father. He was going to shoot me. 'stay here.' He ordered, and ran outside to check something. I did, I didn't have anywhere else to go. I tucked my legs underneath me and began to fiddle with my short spiky hair. Michael came back in a panic, he ran right up to me, and planted a huge kiss on my lips. I fell in love with him right there. I was willing to do anything he wanted to me to, then he kissed my neck, and I think I said something. Because it hurt. Really bad. It was hurting. I pushed him to stop, but he wouldn't, I started to cry, hoping that would get his attention. I wanted to love him. I wanted him to be able to love me. He ran away from me then, and even though I realized that he was on my father's side, that he had just killed me, I still felt his spell lingering on my burning heart._

He looked at me and smiled, seemingly having understood the nature of my vision. Even though I didn't.

"You-you changed me…" I hadn't seen a vision in months, was it even a vision if it was from the past?

"I've missed you." He moved to touch me, I jerked back, quickly loosing my balance on my weak legs and falling to the ground.

"Back off you idiot." I warned, not worrying about who he was to these people around me. He looked offended. " I know you have some sort of power." I explained, as he tried to move closer.

"Like an empath." He said gently, trying to maintain eye contact with me, crouching on the ground so he was level with my eyes. He probably didn't even realize he was comparing himself to Jasper, but the connection made me hat ehim even worse.

"You were planning to use your 'empath' abilities to convince to me fall in love with you and stay here. Not gonna happen bud." I saw a vision of his plans mixed in with my flashback. I didn't make the connection until now. The conversation was taxing, I knew I couldn't let my guard down. I didn't know what he could do but it couldn't be good if he was here.

He looked at Jane, shocked. "Mary-Alice-"

I cut him off "I'm Alice now, thank you. And I appreciate you making me immortal and all, but I am already in love, and it is most certainly not, and never will be with you. So if I could go back to my cell-chamber-bedroom thing now, I would be thankful." They all stared at me like I was crazy. Michael crawled towards me. I couldn't back up anymore, as I was slumped against the wall. He put his finger tips on my wrist, and for a millisecond I forgot all about the pain. The Jasper's face filled my mind, and jerked my hand away, hissing at him.

He raised his eyebrows at Aro. "You love someone very much. I didn't realize…" He looked at me approvingly. Then jumped toward me. I didn't have time to react as my visions were gone. I could feel him putting his whole body into getting me to submit to him. But I kept reliving every good moment with Jasper, and the only thing I began to feel for Michael was a stronger sense of hatred.

But soon that began to fade. I felt my hate turning to something else. His hands slid under my shirt, and he pulled my body closer to his, weak and confused I didn't react quick enough. Memories of Jasper turned fuzzy, and Michael's face began to fill my mind. So I did the only thing I could think to do, I bit him.

Bad idea, but it did seem rather imperative at the time that I do anything in my power to get away from him, to get back to Jazz, and that was all I had left in my arsenal.

He screamed, like the arrogant ass he was. I let out his laugh, a crazy laugh that I am ashamed came from me, but it did, and I was glad I could use it to freak everybody out.

While Michael was twisting in his pain (which I knew couldn't have been as bad as he was making it seem) Jane dragged me out, treating me like I was actually dead, which i assumed I may have ended up as with how angry she was.

My punishment was two hours long, and if we ever got tried, Jane would have passed out for how long she was focusing on me. By minute 28 i wished I could pass out. By minute 96 I swore I was dying, by minute 116 I asked to be dying, and by minute 120 I was shaking so hard it look as if an earth quake were passing through. I had to try to get home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Jasper POV**

I spent every night wishing I could just die. I didn't know what to be without her by my side. Everyone tried to help, but we were all in a state of broken pain. I knew it had something to do with the letter, but Edward was away when she got it, and she did a marvelous job of hiding her thoughts from him. He beat himself up for it I knew, but I was in no state to try and make him feel better. In the beginning they were all just waiting for me to run off. It was Rose that really convinced me to stay. I know that if it had come down to it I would have returned, it was not Alice that kept me here anymore, it was the family. But being in the house, her scent, her memory, it was a lot to handle.

Bella and Nessie were more of a wreck then I though. Ness had lost her closest aunt, and Bella her best friend. But Bella was also the only one who understood what I was going through. Edward had chosen to leave her once, as Alice left me. And no matter how much I told myself it wasn't by choice, a greater part of e new the truth, and I was left wondering what I had done wrong.

She left no trail for me to follow. No leads, no notes. I was flipping everything upside down trying to see what she may have hidden about why she left, but the house was empty, and if I didn't see her shadow hiding in every corner, it would be as if she was never actually there in the first place. Three months was a long time to go without your second half, and I didn't want to last much longer. I feared the worst, that Maria came one night and abducted her, but there was no logical thought in that theory. Maria's scent would have attracted attention, Alice wouldn't just disappear, there was always more than one person, and she never hunted alone.

"Jasper." My head shot up at hearing the gentle voice, but it as just Bella, it was always just Bella now.

"Hey." I tried to calm myself down, stop searching, stop panicking.

She entered my room and sat on the bed that didn't need to be there, and began to twiddle her fingers. She was nervous. I could tell, maybe she wanted me to be able to tell. She was no longer nervous around me, our relationship at really grown this past three months, and that was one of the only things I could be thankful for. But if it was at Alice's expense I didn't need any of them to love me.

"Bella? What's up?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a note. I nearly threw up as I saw the writing that filled it.

I_t's probably long overdue that you find it. I've hidden it pretty well, but this is my last precautionary measure. If I'm not back by time you find this, they probably killed me. But just in case I'm still alive, go, well come, to Volterra. That is where I should be by time you find this. I don't know why they called me. But I know I need to go. Jazz, they threatened you, and I couldn't live knowing that your life was on the line. I'm so sorry if I'm dead, if I'm alive, I'm probably screwed anyway. So hurry._

_Love lots. Like more than you'll ever know._

_Alice_

_P.S. I'm sorry if this freaked you out, Ness, but I knew you'd only use this bag on certain occasions._

Edward burst into the room, eyes open wide.

"Volterra." He breathed it out like it would be the answer to all of our problems, which it was. He rushed to Bella and pulled her into his arms, looking at me over his shoulder and nodding. He was trusting me to remain calm. If I lost it everyone would.

"When do we leave?" I asked. It wasn't an if, we just had to find a plane ticket.

Emmett came up next, his face more serious than I had ever sen before. "Now. Plane leaves in two hours."

Everyone hit frenzy mode. I was downstairs in a second, filling Carlisle in on everything over the phone, he said he'd be home faster than lightning, and as I hung up Jake was pounding on the door, I threw it open, looking at him.

"Renesme called. Alice?" No matter how much they pretended not to notice Alice and Jake loved each other, and as much as I hated him being around, it comforted me to know that Alice had another protector who would keep her safe.

"Jacob!" Nessie ran over and threw her arms around him. They were almost the same height now, but Nessie was really done growing. She buried her face in her neck, and I turned away not letting the jealousy swell up inside me. It hit me then that I was subconsciously putting everyone on edge, so i stopped what I was doing, and focused on calm, We needed to be relaxed when we entered Volterra or they would never give us Alice back, and that was something I could not allow.

I heard the tires of Carlisle's car spin into the driveway, and we al immediately stooped when he entered. Rose spoke first.

"Time to go." Edward was giving instructions to Jake, and I realized then the Renesme wasn't coming with us. She waved goodbye with a single tear streaming don, and we ran out to the cars, taking off before anyone had time to think about where to sit.

I was driver, Edward next to me, Bella in the back. emIf she's dead, Edward, I'm not coming back./em I thought, glancing his way out of the corner of my eye. He nodded. He knew. I knew he was going to try to convince me. They all were. But it wouldn't work.

"Jasper..." Bella spoke softly from the back. "You've lived this long." Was all she said. I just nodded as I drove on toward the airport. I could not live knowing she was dead.

**Alice POV**

She left me there, shaking and whimpering, making sounds as if I was sobbing. I think I was unconscious a few times, but I'm still not sure if that could even happen. I was wishing I could die though. Especially when Michael walked in, his smile as artificial as ever.

"Alice. You look sick." I wanted to spit in his face. He was the reason I din't remember anything about my human life. It was all his fault, he left me, and I would hate forever for it.

"Wh-wh-what-t-t Do-o you Wa-a-nt?" My shaking was ruining my speech. He laughed once, a pity laugh.

"You." I felt myself tighten, wanting to throw up, wishing that was possible as well.

"N-no. I-I-I'm tak-k-ken." I sounded like I was shivering, which I might have been . Details are a tad fuzzy from then on.

But he did laugh, and he did walk over to me, so I screamed, and bit him, again. He struck me across the head, latching his teeth onto my throat, squeezing my arms so tight I was sure he was going to pull me apart. And then I am sure I blacked out.

strongJasper POV/strong

Rushing into Volterra, we went in with a bang. And that was probably a bad idea in the long run, but it certainly got Aro's attention.

"What? What is the meaning of- Carlisle! Welcome." I hated this man with every part of my being, and I made it my personal mission to make everyone feel the same way.

Carlisle was about to respond when a vampire ran out from a back room, holding his wrist. Edward tightened next to me.

"Michael?" Aro swiftly went up to the man, and smiled slightly before looking serious again. Michael's face was stuck in a wince as he held his hand out, the bite marks clearly visible from where I was standing. I stifled a laugh. Someone bit him.

Then something hit me. Edward leaned down next to me and whispered in my ear

"She's here. He saw her. But I can't her her..." He straightened up again when Jane and Caius entered the room, looking as angry as ever.

"What do you want?" Jane's voice was higher then I remembered.

Carlisle smiled, always polite. "Alice."

Jane laughed and Aro tried to silence her with a glare, but she didn't catch on "You don't wan her now." I took a step forward, ready to grab her, but Edward was already holding my arms. Michael and Aro were whispering, and only Edward was able to 'hear' what they were saying.

"That's a great idea!" Edward spoke so we could all hear clearly, and Aro's head snapped up, as if suddenly remembering Edward could hear their whole talk. He looked bitter at first then nodded to Michael.

"You heard him. Go. Do it." Michael left still rubbing his arm, as Aro walked over and spoke to Jane, Edward's head snapped in their direction.

"Like Hell." He let out a bitter laugh, Aro just looked surprised again.

"Edward, I'd appreciate it if you kept your comments to yourself. I will do what i want to do in my castle." He raised his eyebrows as if challenging Edward.

He took the bait. "Over my dead body." He retorted thinking he had the upper hand.

"That can be arranged." Bella grabbed Edwards arm as Aro turned and began to talk to Jane again.

Then the doors were pushed open, and Michael came in holding something. Both Edward and Emmett were now holding my arms, and I knew what he was carrying. Jane was looking at me waiting, so I tried my hardest not to give her any reactions.

Michael walked up to Aro and stopped, Aro looked and nodded at the ground in the middle of the room, he went over and laid her down.

She looked like she was having a seizure, and it terrified me. Her eyes, half closed her blacker then I'd ever thought possible, and I knew that she had to be close to dying, if it was possible to die of starvation.

her shaking slowed, and she turned to look at me.

"J-j-jazz-z?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Jasper POV **

I took a step toward her, Edward tightened his grip on my arm. She was trying to open her eyes, to look at me, the pain was taking over her entire face, and it was killing me to see her in such a way. He black eyes were glossy and unfocused. Almost as if she was having a vision.

I pulled against Edwards arms as I tried to go to her. I didn't care anymore that they were waiting to see if I would react, I wanted her, and they were in my way.

"Jasper, stop! They want this. They're going to-" I broke away cutting Edward off, I thought I would be there in a minute, but somehow Michael beat me to it. He was holding her in his arms now, and she was struggling to get free. I took a step forward, when Caius spoke up.

"Leave her alone, Jasper." He spoke like he was bored. As if this entire situation was below him. I was ready to kill him, taking another step forward, just to spite him, then Edward called out.

"NO!" But Alice was already screaming. The noise engulfed me. I couldn't even move, couldn't stand. My knees hit the floor, cracking it, and it was all I could do not to scream with her. I felt someone around me, but couldn't give a care to who it was. They pulled me back, as Jane pulled out my heart. I don't know how long she went for, but Alice stopped screaming and sobbed tear-less cries instead, I opened my eyes. Jane was smiling. But I didn't move.

Bella was behind me, her hand on my shoulder. I knew Bella had a reason for not protecting Alice, but I couldn't stop the anger that welled up inside of me when I realized she let Jane go on. They all did.

"Jasper, are you ready to follow our directions?" Aro spoke slowly, as if I was some incompetent fool. Apparently I was, because I couldn't even get the words out to say yes. I just released some form of a nod, and he walked toward Carlisle.

"I would like you all to meet Michael. He is the newest member of our clan." Michael set Alice on the ground again and walked over, smiling kindly. Edward stiffened when he got close.

"Aro, really? You've gone this low?" He looked Michael up and down, his face showing genuine surprise. Michael looked mildly wounded and Aro just smiled again.

"We do what we must Edward. Especially when out circumstances were so grim" He was solemn now, Edward laughed again.

"But it didn't work. She's still refusing you, even now. You know it as well as I do." Edward nodded to Alice with his head. I hated the mind reading conversations they could have. Aro looked back at her. Michael looked at me.

"Yes, I suppose I should have thought the plan through more. But we were already in so deep. And Michael is such a wonderful asset. Did you tell them about him?" Aro's face was shining in amusement. Edward kept eye contact with him, but spoke to the rest of us.

"Michael changed Alice. we all thought James killed him. James had it wrong. Michael escaped. And left Alice for dead. He has special abilities as well. Similar to Jasper, but more- well no- completely geared to one emotion. Love. He is able to make anyone madly in love with him. And as odd as it may seem, he used it to his advantage. Got a lot over time, and ruined a lot of people. Unfortunately for him, Alice was already too in love to have any more room for anyone else. So she wouldn't do whatever he asked her to do. Which is why everyone is so tense today. They brought in Michael to turn her over. She falls in love with him, forgets Jasper, and happily stays here. It didn't work though, so now your just pissed off that things didn't go your way." Edward was glaring at Michael now, who was still staring at me. I found my voice then

"Do you have a problem?" It came out sounding angrier than I'd intended but he didn't seem to hear that part.

"How did you get her to love you so much?" He actually seemed hurt. It dawned on me that he really cared for her. Which just made me hate him even more than I already did.

"I've never left her." I was try to make him feel sad, deeply sad, but it wasn't really effecting him.

"Yes, but she left you." He retorted smugly.

"To save my life." He opened his mouth, then closed it. Edward smiled bitterly.

"Well, as great as reunions are, we would really like to take our daughter home now and-" Jane looked at Carlisle and he fell to the ground, writhing in pain. None of us really knew what to do, but Jane stopped before he could let out a scream.

Aro looked at Jane, shocked. She looked at Edward, fuming.

"What the hell?" Edward wasn't one for language, but he couldn't hide his shock. Esme and Emmett were helping Carlisle, when Bella took our shock as an advantage.

"Okay, fun's over." She walked over to Alice, quickly and calmly and bent down to pick her up.

When Bella's hands were just under Alice's back she screamed, loud, blood drying, terrified scream. Bella shot back terrified at the outburst, and looked at Jane who was just as surprised as the rest of us. There was no pain. Jane was not doing this. Alice was afraid of Bella.

There was silence for a moment, until Bella composed herself, and very slowly made her way back over to Alice. She was whispering. Speaking soft words, I was struggling to make out all that she was saying. Alice screamed again, and pushed away, trying to run away from one of the only people in the room who was actually trying to help her.

Bella backed up again, and Edward shifted uncomfortably. Bella looked back, an unspoken question in her eyes. Edward went up next to her, and ignoring the screams of fear, scooped Alice up and walked over to us.

She was a thrashing, panicking mess, but Edward looked uncaring at her motions. It dawned on me how weak she must be.

"She hasn't hunted once since she's been here?" Edward's head shot up when I asked, and he looked at Aro, who shook his head slowly.

"We offered her-"

"Don't play the good guy here. You knew what you were doing. Figure out you were wrong this time, and there's no way avoiding it. We are going to leave now, and I want you to understand what will happen if any situation like this ever occurs with the family again." Edward, with Alice still screaming inhis arm, walked over to Aro and somehow managed to hold out a hand. Aro took it tentatively, and let go quickly, not liking what he saw.

The other's looked confused, and Michael looked at Alice with such sincere longing, I imagined the beauty of ripping his head off, and made a mental note to ask Alice's permission when she was okay again.

Edward spun on his heel, adjusted the still screaming Alice in his arms, and lead us out. Naturally as we were leaving the tour group was just coming in. We scared many of them away, carrying out a screaming girl, leaving the stunned Volturi behind us. It wasn't until we got the rented van that everyone seemed to truly relax. Except Alice, she remained a terrified mess.

**Alice POV**

_They're going to hurt me! Please no! Stop! I don't want this! Leave me alone! Please stop! No! No! I can't take much more of this! No! Go away! Put me down! Put me down! Put me down! Stop!_

**Edward POV**

Her thoughts were killing me. She was screaming in my head. I couldn't take it much longer. I was struggling to walk in a straight line out of the building, so the second we hit the van, I had to drop her. I couldn't have her inside me like that. And I couldn't stand knowing that she thought I was going to hurt her. I got a few looks from Bella, as I struggled against Alice's panic, but she got quiet very suddenly. Jasper had a hand on her arm, and was working her to relax.

The blackness of her eyes hit me then, and I realized it had been three months since she had last hunted. At least. I laid my head back as Emmett drove us through the crowded streets to the airport to make our way home.


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't own these characters. Just the plot **

**Jasper POV**

It occurred to us after the fact how hard it would be for a very unstable Alice to go through an airport crowded with people. Or for the rest of us to make her look stable. I mean imagine the kind of looks we could get carrying a half screaming half unconscious girl through an airport. So Emmett turned the van around and we went to the docks instead. Our plan was to boat to Isle Esme, where Carlisle had a jet. We would take that home.

So That's what we did. And through out the entire journey, my hand stayed firmly on Alice, basically using my ability to drug her into complete and total calmness.

We arrived at the house with a very very nervous Nessie and Jacob to greet us at the door.

"Mom?" She ran out to meet Bella, but stopped when she saw me carrying Alice, who was-although somewhat calm- shaking and whimpering against my chest. We all were wearing solemn faces as we entered. I went to the couch, where I sat with Alice curled up on my lap, and every one else just kind of stood around.

"I have something, that depending on how weak she is, could put her out for a little while." Carlisle was up to his office before any of us could even speak, and down with a syringe before any of us even realized he was gone. He slowly pushed the needle into her arm, and she quickly drifted into sleep.

"Vampires can.. you know... get shots?" Jake was standing by the door, and arm wrapped tightly around a very nervous Renesme.

"Yes. Vampires can die of starvation. I'd only learned this recently, but if one goes long enough with out hunting, and I mean decades long, they can regain their human qualities, and it would be as if they were never immortal. If one experiences vast trauma over a short or extended period of time, they can also turn human, and I fear that is near the point that Alice was reaching. I don't even think Aro really knew how close he was to killing her. No human heart could stand the amount of pain she has been through."

I looked at the ball in arms, still shaking from the fear of that had happened. Lost in a dream somewhere. I hoped that when she woke back up, there wouldn't be as much fear. Because I felt all her fear, and it was starting to effect me as well. Edward looked up, after hearing my thoughts

"Oh, Jazz. I didn't even think of how you were... Hey... I'm sorry. Are you okay?" Everybody else was a little confused, but I just nodded, not wanting to give an explanation.

"Are you okay? Hearing and everything?" He knew what I meant, and I could tell by the look in his eyes that she didn't like whatever Alice had been thinking before Carlisle put her out. I didn't want to let my mind wander too muc, mostly because I really didn't want to know how awful it could have been

"Dad...I..." Jake looked at Renesme, as she struggled for the words, that she didn't have to say. Her hand went up to Jacobs cheek as she showed him what she was thinking. He closed his eyes, and they remained that way, even after her hand fell. Edward got up and left the room, his distress giving me a headache.

Bella Followed him out, with Nessie and Jake right behind. Esme came and sat down next to me. Her calming presence was exactly what I needed. There was still and undercurrent of anxiety, but she was keeping it at bay so well, I barely noticed it.

"Jasper..." I closed my eyes, bracing myself for a mom talk.

"Esme?"

"Honey, are you okay?" I could feel the love, coming straight from her heart.

"Yes Esme... I'm...No." I didn't expect the honestly from myself. She did though.

"Just keep telling yourself that she is safe now. Right here in your arms."

"But Esme, I...She's terrified of me. Of Edward. Is she really safe? Or are we just protecting her from another means of her own destruction. Is she really safe? Is fear safe?"

Esme looked at me a long time before she spoke. Very slowly.

"No Jasper. Fear is not safe. But love is." She got up and left me with that walking in the same direction Edward went, probably ready to give him the same speech. Rosalie and Emmett followed slowly. I'd almost forgotten they were even there, but they were both managing to project calm to me as well, and I will forver be grateful for that.

But I remembered Carlisle's presence. I could feel his nervousness. I knew he was watching me.

"Are you okay?" I asked him carefully.

He didn't respond. He just looked at Alice, as if he didn't even hear me. And maybe he didn't, so caught up in his own thoughts.

"Carlisle?" His eyes dragged themselves over to me, and he suddenly looked very old. Alice shifted on my lap, shaking out a breath, pulling Carlisle's attention back to her.

"Carlisle." My voice was stern, and he looked at me again, still old. "Sit. Please." His steps were long and heavy, but he fell into the seat beside me. His emotions were rattling through me and it was suddenly very hard to focus. I noticed Edward enter again, but I was too busy screaming in my head to react. He must have heard me, because he ushered Carlisle out quickly, and I was able to calm down.

"I don't realize how much it effects me until I'm already losing it." I explained in a near whisper when Edward walked back in.

"I think I understand. Sometimes the thoughts just..." He looked wistfully at his favorite sister.

"Is Carlisle going to be okay?" I asked, not knowing what else to say.

"I think so. He is just beating himself up, wondering how he couldn't have seen it. Telling himself he could have tried harder to save her, instead of thinking that she had willingly left us." His eyes were still on Alice.

"Is that what everyone thought?" This was near silent, but Edwards eyes still snapped to me as if I was screaming.

"Jasper. No. No, no, no. None of us thought that. None of- not in the beginning. By the end even I was uncertain. I just... No Jasper." I had never seen him at such a loss for words.

Renesme and Jake walked back in slowly. Nessie had been crying, I could tell by her eyes. Edward was up immediately pulling her into his arms, Jake brought his hands up and ran them through his hair. Everyone was high strung. Alice was our glue. Our ireplaceable glue.

"Hey, relax." I was focusing into calming them all down. Jake looked up, angry at first, but then smiled gratefully.

Then everybody walked back in, and without my help they were all relaxed, but still nervous.

Then Alice began to shift in my arms.

"How long has she been out?" Emmett looked at me then Carlisle.

My eyes shot to the clock then back up to Emmett. "And hour and a half." She was squeezing her eyes shut clutching onto my shirt, clenching her teeth together. She was shaking violently in fear. Her fear was starting to bite at me.

"Carlisle!" My voice had an agonizingly pleading tone and I didn't even realize it was my voice until Edward was at my side pulling her out of my arms.

"No! No!" She screamed once again, and Edward dropped her. Nobody else moved as he stepped back, eyes huge in shock. Carlisle went to her on the floor, and gave her something else, slowly relaxing her, into sleep again.

Edward looked down at his hands, golden eyes pained beyond belief. He backed out leaving the house quickly. Bella was right behind him. Renesme burst into tears again.

I just stared my love in a heap on the floor.

**Edward POV**

I didn't expect her to be like that. She was screaming at me in her head to drop her. Threatening me, screaming. Telling me to stop hurting her. It was too much, My arms just gave out I guess. I couldn't hold her any more. Then all their thoughts went blank, no one really knew what to think. So i ran out. I couldn't stand the immediate transition from screaming loud to deathly silent. I don't ever remember things being completely silent for me.

"Edward!" I didn't realize I was running until I stopped. Bella was right behind me. "Edward!" She ran into me, and I knew it was intentional. Her arms found there way around my neck, and suddenly we were kissing. I pulled away quickly. Too quickly.

"Bella. I-"

_Don't apologize_ the sound of her voice filled my head, and I couldn't help but let a smile peel on my lips.

"Yes ma'am." I spoke slowly, as she grabbed my hand and dragged me back to the house. I heard Renesme's pained cries before Bella, and ended up half dragging her to out distressed daughter.

I wrapped her in my arms, looking at Jacob over her head. His eyes bore into mine. I was reminded of a time where it could have been Bella I was holding, Jake thinking he loved her, looking at me the same way. With the 'I really just don't know how to help' look.

I glanced at Carlisle still leaning over Alice, and Jasper, whose eyes were glued to the floor. Nessie stepped back from me and walked over to Jake.

_Dad, we are going back to the house. I can't take this anymore _her hand was on Jacob's cheek, and I nodded as they both walked out, heading back to our cabin deeper in the woods.

"What do we do?" Jasper's eyes were still stuck to his soul mate as he spoke. Carlisle stood up and looked right at me.

"I can't knock her out forever."

"We have to let her stay awake in order to adjust. I say if we give her maybe 20 minutes, she'll realize that we aren't trying to kill her" I spoke, pretending like I knew what I was talking about. I was sudden;y thankful no one could read my mind, because I didn't want anyone to know how scared I really was.


	5. Chapter 5

**Don't own these characters. Just the plot!**

**Jasper POV**

She began to move under Carlisle's hands, jerking, crying out. I tensed up, and Edward slowly made his way toward the back door, stopping before he left.

"Please...please...please..." She kept repeating it in her cries. Her voice dripping with pain and fear. "Please...please...please..."

"Alice, baby, please what?" Carlisle began to move his hands gently

"No! Stop! Please!" Her voice had a shrill edge to it, which echoed off the open house. Carlisle pulled his hands in alarm, but brought them back toward her almost immediately.

"Alice, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to-" She bared her teeth and snapped at him, getting a shout as she bit down into his wrist.

He backed up quickly again, but didn't go back toward her this time. She slowly crawled away from us, toward the kitchen, shaking and crying the whole time. I very slowly got up and walked over to her, whispering soft words, and my actions.

"Alice, I'm walking towards you. My hands are in front of me. You are safe. I am walking towards you. I could never hurt you. It's me baby. Jasper. I'm going to bend down next to you. It's Jasper."

"Jasper?! Please no. Don't hurt him. Please no. Kill me, don't touch him. please no. No, no, no, no, no, no..." She kept going.

"Her mind isn't here. She is still mentally there. We have to get her here, or she's not going to react well to anything. Every touch is Michael trying to get to her, every voice is Aro telling her things."

"Please... please...please...please...please..." Out of the blue Edward ran out of the house, sprinting in the direction of his home. Bella shot one confused glance my way before running after him.

Roaslie came down and glanced at me, tentatively looking at Alice

"Jasper can I try to...?" She motioned to Alice carefully. I let out a single nod, and she slowly walked over, speaking gently just like I was.

Alice screamed louder than ever, and Rose shot back, falling into Emmett.

"Oh! Oh God... Oh... Jasper...I'm so..." She buried her face in him. A sick Alice was bringing out the fear and distress in all of us. I hoped that Edward has a plan, and wasn't just running because what she was thinking was worse than what she was saying. But her emotions were starting to make me want to run away as well.

Then Edward came back in. Jake, Nessie, and Bella were behind him. Well Actually Jake was shirtless, haing jut been in wolf form, and Ness was on Edward's back.

"Jasper, we're trying something." Edward stated clearly when he walked in. I think I shrugged, but Alice's panic was starting to effect me too much. I was getting realy confused, couldn't think. Didn't really comprehend what he was saying

"... and then- Jasper!" I felt myself hit the ground, shaking, just like Alice was.

"Shit. shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit." Emmett was slowly picking me up, shaking me even more, as if that would help.

"It's Alice," Edward explained "Her emotions are... effecting him." Emmett nodded and set me back on the couch. I don't know what he thought that would do either.

I barely made out Edward leading Renesme over to Alice, whispering softly in Nessie's ear. She bent down next to Alice, who was curled into a fetal position, letting out tear-less sobs.

"Wait!" Edward pulled Renesme back up. "Carlisle...she's...she's crying." That got my attention. As well as Carlisle's. He appeared next to Edward looking over his shoulder at Alice. He wiped at her eyes with his cold hands, ignoring her sobs.

"We need to get her hunting. Very soon." His voice was grave, putting even more fear inside of me.

"Renesme, go ahead." She bent down again, and very carefully placed a gentle hand on Alice's cheek. I had no idea what she was being showed, but it made Edward smile slightly. I liked to imagine it was images of all of us, in the house, as if everything was still okay.

Suddenly Alice's cries stopped. I sat up slowly making my way over to her. She was no longer shaking so hard. But her body still had a tremor to it.

"Alice?" My voice was soft and gentle. Nessie moved her hand, "Alice baby." I bent down next to her, and carefully moved my hands to her shoulders.

"Jasper..." She clutched at me, "Jazz, I'm so thirsty. Everything hurts. I need... hunt." She was still shaking violently. I looked up pleadingly at Carlisle.

"What do we do?" I spoke in whisper. She was repeating hunt over and over as if it was the only thing she could know how to do.

"Carry her." Carlisle whispered back, I was scooping her up as everyone headed out the door toward the woods, none of us knowing how this would work out.

**Alice POV**

Renesme was suddenly in the Volturi house, then suddenly I was home, with Nessie still holding my cheek. Jasper was with me and I reminded myself to ask him later how I actually got to out house. I remember asking him to take me hunting, and he did, scooping me up into his arms, and carrying me out. I knew I was too weak to move, but I still hated the feeling of not even being able to hunt on my own. My brain was turtling. Creating logical english thoughts near impossible.

"Alice, I don't know how this is going to work..." Jasper explained as he ran with me. I was curled into his chest still shaking in fear, but also against the cold of the wind.

"J-j-jazzz-z-z" He looked at me, wide eyed, and just pulled me closer to him, which only made things worse. "N-n-no. C-c-col-ld-d." I tried to explain, but he didn't seem to hear me, halting to a stop.

"Carlisle." His voice has a questioning tone to it, which brought Carlisle over to us faster than he usually would have been.

"Oh, Alice. Are you... you're cold." He didn't have to ask, he could tell by my face. I assumed my lips were blue.

Then Emmett came back with a huge deer behind him. I tightened against Jasper, which only made me shake more. My mind blanked. I suddenly didn't know what to do with the deer, and I watched the red blood spill around it.

"Alice...Are you...can I...?" Jasper didn't know what to do, but Edward did. Acting as if he were getting water from a faucet, he cupped his hands around where the blood was spilling, and brought them over to my mouth, pouring the red liquid into my mouth. It felt so good, I was so parched. Nobody seemed to move as Edward and I continued this motion, as he helped me hunt again. But then Edward stopped.

"We need to go." His voice was urgent, and he dragged the deer away into a tree. Jasper readjusted me in his arms, when sudden;y everything went black.

Jane and Aro were talking. They were right next to me. They were grabbing me. I started to scream. I needed to be away from them, I couldn't let them hurt me. I had to get away. I had to get away. Edward was gone. I don't understad how they do this to me. How they play these mind games but its not real. The blood tasted so real.

"Stop! Please! No! No!" I was kicking away from them, bu ti couldn't see them, everything was still black. Somebody's arms were around me, so I began to thrash. It was probably Michael trying to kill me again.

"Alice. Alice. Stop. Stop please. You're hurting me." Like hell. I didn't care how hurt he was, he needed to let go of me.

"Alice, listen baby. Relax." Jasper? "You're hurting me. Please." Jazz? His voice was calm. No. It was just Michael trying to trick me. I knew it.

"Michael's not here hon." Edward.

"Edward?!" It was a scream, through my clenched teeth.

"Alice you need to stop kicking. There are humans near by, and they can hear you." Edward explained.

"H-hum-mans-s?" I was still freezing, teeth still chattering.

"Shh. Shh. Shh." I was being moved, so I grabbed at his shirt. I was remembering where I was now. Hunting. In Jasper's arms. He was trying to get rid of me.

"No.. no..no.. J-jazz-z. Pl-leas-se." But I wasn't in Jasper's arms, and was very warm. I huddled against the warmth, seeking it for protection. Everything was still black. but I was no longer screaming.

"Good Alice. Relax. We are going to go home now. Okay? Home." Carlisle's voice, I was still huddled against the warm thing that was holding me. "Home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home." I could feel my mouth saying the word. My lips were moving on their own accord.

"Yes baby girl. We're going home." Jaspers familiar touch laced its way through my hair. Jasper. Jasper loves me. "love home Jasper, Jasper home loves Alice." They were still moving. I don't think they were making sense. I heard Edward softly chuckle behind me. I felt my heart lighten. Edward and Jasper were here. I was safe.

"Alice. Al?" I opened my eyes, struggling to get them to focus. Once I could see straight I responded.

"Yes?" I wasn't cold anymore, actually I was warm, pushing up into Jasper, who I assumed was holding me.

"Are you okay?" I was looking at Jasper. He was standing. Of jasper was standing he couldn't be holding me. I mustered all the strength I had shoving away from the persons whose arms were wrapped around me. The grip just tightened, and I began to shake again. I couldn't see who was behind and why Jasper was so okay with letting them take me away.

"I..." My eyes wandered back to Jasper. "I..." I was shaking again. But it wasn't from the cold this time. "I..." I began to hyperventilate. I saw a tan hand reach toward my head. I sucked in heavy breaths that I didn't actually need. Then my eyes connected with Jacobs, I realized I was in his arms. I was safe. But I couldn't get myself.

"Hey, hey. None of that. No nerves here." Jaspers hand went to my shoulder, and I was calm again. "Are you okay?" He spoke very slowly.

I didn't say anything. He rubbed my shoulder again then stepped back, getting ready to walk away.

"Where are you going?" I grew nervous again.

He just looked over his shoulder and smiled at me, walking out of the house. Jake began to rub my shoulder slowly.

"Hey." He spoke softly, and I could hear the gentleness in his voice. He didn't want me to be afraid of him. And I wasn't I think.

"Hey." I rested my head up on his shoulder. "Man, you're so... warm." I wondered vaguely how his cotton shirt didn't burn off. He left out one shaking laugh underneath me.

"It's a perk." He stretched out, still under me. Edward walked in, smiling cautiously.

"This is weird. My daughters boyfriend is... You know never mind." He laughed looking at us, then his eyes focused on me. Then he laughed, a little louder this time.

"Alice, really?" He read my mind, my thoughts about Jake's shirt, and a minuscule smile found it's way onto my lips. Edward checked the time, and looked at Jacob.

"2:30, Jake do you have to...?" His eyes found the door. Jacob was leaving. I moved myself around, exhausting my limited energy supply, but he wrapped his arms around me, and slid out from underneath me easily.

"Call me if you get cold." He winked at me, squeezing my hand before he left.. "Tell Ness to come whenever. " he said to Edward. Then he was out the door. Edward grabbed a thick blanket from the back of the couch, and laid it over himself. He then pulled me onto his lap, tracing a line from shoulder to shoulder slowly.

_How long have I been... sleeping? _I thought, choosing not to waste the energy to speak.

"Don't worry, Jasper does enough of that. Only a few hours. Are you better now?" Still tracing lines on my back.

_I don't know. I'm scared. I haven't had a vision in so long, but then, in the woods, everything went black. Oh Edward, they were so close. They were so close. I couldn't What if they...What if that happens and I... What if I hurt Jacob? You? Jasper?_

"Well, Alice...I'm going to be very honest here and say that you are too weak to do any permanent damage. So don't fret. Once you become strong enough, then we will have to think of other options, but right now, just focus on getting better, not on how you are effecting, or hurting us."

"Why did Jasper leave?" I spoke this time, because I didn't want to sleep, but my eyes were growing heavy on their own accord. Edward began to gently run his fingers up and down my neck, tracing an invisible line from my chin to my collar bone. My mind began to blank as my eyes grew fuzzy.

"What... what are... how does that happen?" I heard myself ask even though my brain was slightly detached from the real world.

"This is how I got Nessie to fall asleep when she was a baby." He said still tracing, watching my eyes grow heavy.

"But... no... Not tired..." My voice was becoming a whisper. Suddenly there were two Edwards, and I giggled looking at him. He smiled at me.

"Hey there silly girl. Jasper will be back soon okay? Why don't you close your eyes now. Let yourself rest." He kept tracing, my head rolled to the side and I giggled again.

"Miss Jasper." I said, Edward kept tracing a line on my neck, and moved his other hand to rub at my forehead. My eyes lost focus even more. I giggled again, and Edward pulled me closer to hime, wrapping the blanket around me.

I curled up more into the blanket, into my brother, and let my eyes fall closed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Edward POV**

It felt nice to know that she was comforted in my arms, but it terrified me that she was sleeping. We were not supposed to be able to sleep, and she really wasn't at all filled today at the mini hunting trip.

Oh right. Hunting. I was just about to give Alice another sip, when these random human's invaded my mind. I thought at first it was Renesme and Jacob, but then I heard their thoughts too.  
><em>Dad, people coming your way. Hide the deer.<em> She kept repeating it, as Jake tried to stall them. They were runners, training for some marathon in New York. They were running at a very alarming pace for a human, right toward us, completely off any trail.

So we were getting ready to leave when Alice had an odd vision. Her eye sight went black, and she could hear the Volturi voices as if they were right next to her. Her screaming alarmed the runners greatly, and they picked up their pace coming even closer to us. Jake and Ness beat them though, and Jake took Alice, and we carried her back at a human pace. The runner's came right by us. Then we had to stall.  
>"Hey! Are you okay?" The female asked. Natalie was her name. The other guy was having a panic attack <em>Natalie! Don't talk to strangers you idiot. They're freaking carrying a dead girl. Look at her! Oh my God. They killed her.<em> Then Alice shifted, pressing closer to Jake.

"Yeah, yeah we're fine. My daughter was climbing a tree and fell." Carlisle smiled, as Jasper worked some calming magic. The girl kept glancing at him cautiously, not with the regular fear people regarded him with, but almost delight. She batted her eyelashes bashfully and he glanced her way in surprise.

"Oh no. Do you want us to... I have pretty good cell service..." Natalie pulled out her cell phone, frowning. "Or not." She looked at Jasper again as she shrugged, slowly placing her phone back on the pocket on her waist

"No, no need. I'm a doctor at the hospital in the area. And she falls a lot. She'll be okay. Thank you though." The man's eyes flitted around nervously.

"Are you sure you're..." He didn't finish the sentence, just gestured her way, Alice was shaking violently.

"Yes sir, we'll be fine. We know how to handle her when she get's like this. Thank you for your kind offer to help though. Much obliged." Jasper pulled out his southern hospitality, charming the girl into stunned silence.

"Is she epileptic?" This guy was not doing a good job of avoiding strangers. He tried to descretely pull out his cell phone, mentally cussing when he also realized there was no service this far out in the woods.

"No sir. It's nothin' I can assure you she will be safe. Thank you for your concern." Jasper placed a hand of Jacobs shoulder, and gently led him away from the curious people. Natalie took a step toward us.

"Oh wait, You said she fell from a tree? Are there any cuts? I can get my first aid kit and help her right up." She was looking at Jasper as she spoke. He looked at me dumbfounded, before staring back at her.

"No ma'am. No cuts, Probably a minor concussion though, so we best be on our way back to the car. We'll be gettin' her to a hospital right away. Y'all know how it goes in the waiting rooms in those places. He pushed a mixture of calm, fear and confusion into them, and they both took a step back.

"o-okay. Have a nice...er.. day." They stood there as we all walked away, leaving the dead deer hidden in a bush.

On our walk Rosalie shot Jasper a smiling look.  
>"What?" He snapped looking at her.<br>"It's nothin' we can't handle. much obliged. We best be gettin' on our way. Y'all have a nice day now" She mocked in a high key representation of his voice. He smiled, a sight we haven't seen in months, pushing Rose as we walked.

"Awe hush." He said, failing to keep the Texas out of his voice. Everyone let out small laughter as we arrived in the house, Jake kind of just standing there waiting.

"Oh, hey bring her in... if you don't mind." He nodded and walked through, heading straight for the couch, and laying on it, setting her over him. I got a lop sided grin when I looked at him.

"Yeah Jake, make your self at home." We were able to joke easily now, which made Ness and Bella really happy.

"Hey, babe we're gonna head back to the house for a little while? Okay? Jake, just call when you are leaving, and we can get you guys back together somewhere." Bella informed as she and Renesme walked away talking lightly, but I could tell that Nessie was hiding her thoughts from me.  
>Carlisle called me into his office and we spoke about Alice. How we were going to work this out. How it was effecting the family, if it was really possibly for vampires to turn human, and if so how to prevent it from happening to Alice. He was more nervous than I had ever seen him before, and I knew that he and Jasper could not be in a room together for too long when he was like this.<p>

Just minutes after Alice had fallen asleep Emmett came in. He had something on his mind, which worried me. Emmett doesn't do deep stuff.

Edward... Can I..." _ask you something?_ It was very unusual for Emmett to have a thought conversation with me, and I knew he really needed someone to talk to

"Yeah man. Anything. What's up?" I shifted Alice on my lap, and he sat next to me, looking at everything but her.  
><em>I... I'm worried Ed, and I don't know how to handle this. Jasper can't even be in a room with me because I stress him out so much. I don't know how to handle it when she is sick. She always made it so easy. And Rose is freaking out. Freaking out. And I can't even help her because I am panicked too. Ed I don't know what to do.<em> His eyes were glued to the floor, his hands clenching together.

"Em, don't feel bad. We are all a little high strung right now. Jazz can't even be around Carlisle for too long or he gets all wonky. This is something new for all of us, and we are each struggling to handle it in our own separate ways. Rose probably understands that, and even though she may not act like it, she is just as nervous as you are. We aren't used to having to worry about something like this. It's okay." His eyes fell to Alice.

"What if she doesn't get any better?" He spoke softer than the softest whisper, and I realized then how deep Emmett really could be, but how confused he was too. Only a truly loving person could think that, but he had no idea how to deal with anything he was feeling.

Before I could answer Bella came back in, smiling, cautiously looking at Alice in my arms.  
>"Is she... sleeping?"<p>

The worry was evident by her voice, and I didn't want to imagine how Jasper would have felt had he been in there with her while she was this nervous.

"Er... Yeah." As I spoke Alice began to shake lightly, which made me nervous again. She wasn't having any dreams, or really thinking about anything at all. I had no idea why she was shaking.

"Does Carlisle know?" Bella questioned still cautious. I shook my head once, and she walked up to where my old room used to be. It was now just an open room, and we all used it from time to time, just to be away from everything and everyone else. Usually when someone went up there, I went home, because I knew they wouldn't want me picking through their head. Obviously that didn't matter with Bella.

Jasper entered slowly, and I had no idea where he had been, the only thing on his mind was Alice, and Charlie.

Oh Charlie.

"Jasper? What's up?" When he looked at me I realized how exhausted he looked. Completely drained. Alice was taking a toll on him, and he was torn between knowing he should be there for her and needing time to himself to be able to process everything and figure out how to make things better for her. He didn't want her to be afraid of us anymore.

"Charlie called me. On my cell. He really wants to see Alice. To make sure she is safe." His voice was tight. He'd never even wanted to tell Charlie anything to begin with. But Carlisle felt we had to give him some truth or he would keep asking, and that would have only made the sting of her absence even worse.

We had been more or less avoiding Charlie as time went on. He was aging, as men do, and we were not. He occasionally considered asking how Renesme became full grown in only seven years, but then usually decided the better of it, and just smiled at all of us.

"Invite him for dinner then." Carlisle was at the top of the stairs, focusing very hard on serenity, and relaxation.

"Carlisle.. Do you really think that's a good-"

"You're right. Coffee." Jasper just gave a blank stare. "invite him. For coffee." Carlisle explained patiently, looking at Emmett, who was still looking at the ground, nervous as ever, I was just waiting for it to effect Jasper. His eyes were shifting from person to person, and he was visibly confused.

"Okay. Right. I'll- I'll call him. Tonight?" Jazz was having trouble organizing his thoughts, now shooting looks at just Emmett, trying to calm him down.

"Yes son, thank you. Carlisle continued down the stairs. "Esme is... still up stairs?" He asked after looking through the kitchen.

"Yes. Oh, should I see if Jake want's to come, he can sometimes calm Charlie down." Carlisle nodded at me, then headed back upstairs, thinking about Esme. Jasper looked at Emmett.

"You have to cam down." He spoke very straight forward, which we weren't used to. He seemed to usually speak in some odd Jasper code just to confuse us.  
>Emmett looked up, semi alarmed. He opened and closed his mouth two times before coming up with something to say.<p>

"Oh hey man, I- I'm sorry. I just... I'm so worried about-"

"Yes Emmett, I know." Jasper forced a sympathetic smile, looked at Alice then began to leave again, pulling out his phone.

Emmett looked up at me, eyes broken. "Am I that bad?" He was like a child sometimes.

"No. No. It's Jasper too. He just doesn't realize it." It was kind of a lie, but Emmett needed to hear it. He jumped up, a little more calmed down, and walked back upstairs, in pursuit of Rosalie.

Alice jolted awake, eyes wide, clinging to my shirt.

"No! No!" She pulled her self close to me, burying her face in my chest. Out of instinct I pulled her in closer to me, and rubber her head gently.

"Hey, Al, hey. It's Edward. you're okay. Okay?" She was still shaking, and her screams seemed to draw everyone in the house, except Jasper, I mean I guess he wasn't in the house, but I figured he'd at least come. But Carlisle was the first to my side, everybody else remained by the stairs.

"Is she okay?" He put a hand on my shoulder she was tearlessly crying into my shirt. I looked at that as a good sign. No more tears.

"I-" she let out a scream, and I dug into her head, she was mentally back in Volterra. "No!" I was yelling too, wishing i wasn't seeing what she was right now. It was starting to give me a migraine. "No! Get- ahh. Call.. Get.. Nessie!" Carlisle, always knowing what to do, pulled Alice away from me, just giving me some space even though we all knew that wouldn't help.

But then Jasper came in. He silently took Alice from Carlisle, and began to whisper into her ear. She calmed down very quickly, and even I was at a loss on how he did it.

He looked up into all of our stunned faces.

"I- Well what she's afraid of is Michael, taunting her with love, so I figured if I her with as much hate as possible, it would counter act the emotions he was trying to ensue upon her." He was kind of sheepish while explaining, but I could only marvel at the brilliancy of the idea. Apparently Carlisle thought so too, because he gave Jasper a large clap on the back.

"Great thinking Jazz. I mean, she is almost completely relaxed now." Which brought all our attention back to Alice. Her eyes were open, but only half way, and she seemed almost too weak to life her head, as any time she tried it gently fell back against Jasper's chest.

"Can... can I hunt again?" She asked quietly, trying to look at Jaspers eyes from the place that her head was stuck. He laughed gently and nodded. Looking to all of us and knowing it would become another family hunting trip. We all jogged out the back door and into the forest for the second time that day.


	7. Chapter 7

**Jasper POV**

We gave Alice some off Bella's old sweatshirts to wear so that she would be warm while I was holding her. I honestly thought that hunting was one of the worst things to do with her while she was in that state, but I also knew it needed to be done.

"Jasper?" She whispered. She whispered a lot now actually.

"Yeah baby? You okay?" I looked at her, slowing to a jog so I could talk easier.

She didn't say anything, just pushed her face into my chest, and breathed in deeply. I waited to see if she was going to speak before I began to run again.  
>Edward stopped us when he said he found some deer, and mountain lions up ahead. I stayed with Alice on a rock while the rest of the family hunted to bring her back some food.<p>

"You're missing all the fun." She was sitting in my lap, head on my shoulder, probably listening to the hunt like I was. She was still extremely weak. Her hands had a constant, yet subtle shake to the tat I don't think she even noticed was there anymore, because she adjusted to feeling it.

"No, I'm not missing anything. This is way better than being out there." I could feel her contentment, mixed with just enough fear to make me notice. The fear was always there. She clearly didn't have the energy to try and hide it from me. It was one of those unspoken things. I knew it was there. She knew it too, but I knew she couldn't suppress it, I didn't want her to. And she knew that it was hard for me. It was a huge circle of emotion. Which I guess everything is for us, being that I feel everything.

"Go. Hunt. You need it." She began to shake more than she was while we were running. Again, it was just a small amount but just enough for me to make a note of it. It spiked, and i saw it in my head, like a human heart monitor, no pun intended.

"Alice, I need you." She tried to smile, but couldn't for some reason. She was beginning to panic again when Edward and Emmett both dragged back their earnings. She took quiet, but fast and heavy breaths in as they got closer. Edward glanced her way, before speaking up.

"Okay Al, we got these for you. " Edward explained, looking at Alice. He cupped his hands like he did earlier, and came over to her, I held my breath, because I did actually need to hunt, but had to wait until someone took Alice. I had to know that she was safe and unafraid before I did anything to help myself.

They continued their system, until the first lion was almost completely drained. Then Alice looked at me, eyes determined. She pushed up off of me and walked over to the lion, shaking, but refusing help. She bent down next to it, and began to drink. Edward looked at her, pleased and surprised.

But suddenly she got up, and walked back over to me. Her eyes blazing with unspoken fear. She curled in my lap, and started shaking violently. Emmett slowly backed up into the trees, but Edward stayed, watching us closely. She began to hyperventalate again, so I slowly and cautiously curled my arms around her as to not induce more fear.

"Every...every time...It looks like...one of them...they killed so many for me... so many... children, parents, never animals...I can't drink it... the little girl..." She was crying by that point, and all I could do was rub her head for the first few minutes. I wanted her to try to relax some on her own before I offered her help. Her emotions weren't haywire and confused like in the past. This was real and logical fear, and she was capable of getting a hold on it.

I could tell by his face that Edward strongly disagreed with what I was doing, but he was no going to step in.

"Alice," I began, once she was able to relax her gasping breathing slightly. I made sure to keep my voice soft. "Alice, listen. Look." She brought her eyes up to mine. "It's a lion. A mountain lion. Not a girl. It was big paws, and sharp teeth. It can kill. It's a lion, and we need to eat it for food. Okay? It's not a girl, or a mom, or someone's dad." Ignoring her fear, I picked her up, and carried her over to it, picking up the paw.  
>"Touch it." I commanded gently. She did, then touched my hand as well, smiling at me as she did so. "It has fur, and claws, and no fingers. I have no fur, no claws, fingers, and a thumb." I ran my finger over her lip, getting a very small, very careful kiss in return. Her eyes locked with mine, trust radiating off of her. She was trusting me, but she was still confused and afraid. Using that trust I bent her down, and she bit into the lion again, drinking very carefully. It was drained and she pushed away. She looked at me confused.<p>

"I'm still so thirsty." She crawled back over to me, resting her head on my chest. "But I really want to go home." I picked her up, and began to walk away, knowing Edward would tell the others we went.

"Wait. You still need to hunt. Charlie's coming over." I smiled down at her, always worried about me, but she was right. So I set her down helping her lean against a tree. Taking the time to make sure she was comfortable, I watched her struggle to cross her legs in front of her, then I snagged a deer that was to the direct left of us. She smiled at me when I came back over, but stopped suddenly, she must've been thinking about something.

"A penny for your thoughts?" I asked, pulling her up again. She scrunched her nose. It was such an Alice motion and the joy I felt seeing it on her is indescribable.

"Can I take a shower before Charlie comes?" It was not the question I was expecting. But I nodded anyway, letting a laugh escape my lips.  
>she looked at me shocked, the still blackness of her eyes striking me.<p>

"What is funny?" I could feel her anger.

"No, babe, nothing. Nothing." I looked up again, still laughing in my head.  
>"What did you say?" She was suddenly nervous. She tensed in my arms, not pulling away, but no longer allowing herself to fall into me like she had been before.<p>

"What? I said 'no babe, nothing. Nothing.'" I repeated quickly, looking at her fear filled face. "Why? What's wrong?"

"When did you start calling me that?" She was squeezing her hands together, looking anywhere but at my face. What was wrong with her? I began to think back to every conversation we ever had, the longer I thought the more anxious she got.

"Alice, I-I don't know. I have so many different names for you, I just chose that one today. Why? What's wrong?" I was getting frustrated that she wasn't answering me. I knew it was wrong to be frustrated at her, but I couldn't handle the high emotions sometimes. I worked to calm myself down so I could relax her before this turned into a full blown panic scene.

"I- Michael called me... babe, and baby, and doll. And I didn't, or don't ever remember you using those terms before today. I...I just... I'm sorry... never mind. Never mind." I stopped walking and looked at her worried about the way she was acting.

"Alice... Darling, please let me help you." She looked at me, her black eyes burning with fear and confusion. She didn't know if she could trust me. Edward slowly walked up behind me.

"Charlie's coming soon." He spoke softly, and I knew he was listening to our entire conversation prior to coming up. I just nodded looking at Alice, hoping that she was going to be okay.  
><strong>Alice POV<strong>

Any time Jasper called me baby I couldn't help but flinch. All I could hear was Michael's voice in my head. Nagging at me, trying to get me to fall in love with him, even when I tried to explain that I never ever would.

But thankfully Edward interrupted, and gave me a reason not to think about Michael, or Jasper. Charlie was coming and we had to be semi normal in front of him. I didn't know how they explained my absence to him, or what te excuse would be for my current state of being. But I didn't really care. Charlie always found a way to make me smile, and I was super psyched that he was coming.

While he was there I wouldn't have to think to hard about the things that were bothering me at that moment. I wouldn't have to worry about how Jasper was feeling, because Charlie ask ways seemed able to make any and all of us feel a certain sense of calm.

Jasper carried me into the house, and much to my surprise we went up to our bedroom.

"Jazz? Where are we going?" I questioned quietly as he climbed the stairs slowly, and turned into our bedroom.

"We are going to relax before Charlie gets here." He answered easily, pulling me on top of him as he laid down on the bed.

"Jasper. Please. I have to... Shower.." I knew my argument was weak even before I fully gave it out. He looked at me with a smile present on his face.

"Really love?" He wa trying to calm me. I knew that being with him used to be the most peaceful thing to me, but after Michael I just could be with him with out the memories taking me over. The fear began to get to me. He felt it, naturally

"Al, stop it please." He put his hand behind my back, and began tracing circles, knowing that was something that calmed me down, unfortunately Michael did too.

"Stop!" I tried to push off of him, but was too weak, and ended up falling into him deeper, just making me more afraid. "No no no!" I couldn't help the memories that came back to me, eating away at me from the inside out. I couldn't pretend that I wasn't afraid of the only person who was trying to help me.

"Alice..." he was trying to verbally reason with me, before using his ability to calm me down. I began to shake again, and fell into him crying, as Carlisle came up to check and make sure we were okay.

My eyes were closed, pressing into Jasper as he calmed me, but I knew the look Carlisle was giving, and I was glad I couldn't see it.

"Will she be fit for Charlie when he comes?" Carlisle asked, maybe assuming I was too crazied to hear him. Jasper did too apparently, because his answer was more honest than I would have expected.

"It depends on what we told him happened." He was blunt, stroking my head softly as he spoke, I decided not to move, just to listen to what they were saying, maybe really try to relax some.

"I was thinking about that too. Kidnapping seems like it may be hard, because there was no police involvement, but, we could pull the sick card, and say that she was taken while in Russia, at the healing facility. No American police, and didn't make the news because we wanted to avoid it. Now, she is still getting over the infection, but we can't send her back to Russia for fear of her getting taken again." I felt Jasper nod at Carlisle's explanation, his chin brushing my head as it moved up and down.

"Okay, I like it. Good. Good. When will he be here?" Jasper asked, wrapping his arms around me and kissing the top of my head.

I heard the police car rumbling in the distance. "Now." I whispered, pushing away from Jasper, and trying to stand in order to fix my hair.

"Alice, you hear that? The car?" Jasper grabbed my wrist, dumb founded.

"Yeah...why?" Then it hit me, I was regaining stronger senses. I couldn't help but smile as I looked at him. "Yes!" He grabbed my waist, and lifted me in the air, spinning me. He planted a kiss on my head. All the fear disappeared as I looked into Jasper's excited eyes. He fall back on to the bed pulling me into him. I laughed softly into his chest. I could hear the car. Maybe my visions would be back soon.

"Going to get better day by day..." He whispered as we walked down stairs, just as the cruiser pulled into our drive way. 


	8. Chapter 8

**I don't own these characters. Just this plot. **

**Jasper POV**

I carried Alice down the stairs, sliding on the couch just as Carlisle opened the door for Charlie to come in. Renesme ran right up to greet him as he walked in, a huge smile plastered on her face, Bella was right behind, as Jake stood in the kitchen doorway, a gentle smile on his lips. Charlie was boldly smiling, probably having missed his only granddaughter. Edward shook his hand, but then quickly looked at Alice and nodded, a motion Charlie missed.

She looked up at me, and then shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

"How are you Charlie?" Carlisle asked gently as he led him into the kitchen, Nessie trailing behind.

"I'm good. Good. Glad you guys are all home safe..." He was trying to hint that he was curious about Alice, about why we left home in the first place. He was probably wondering where she was too, since he didn't see me when he walked in.

"Alice..." Bella trailed off from her spot behind Charlie. Edward looked at me from behind her, and I nodded, _tell him whatever she's awake, and she'll remember._ He nodded, and took easy control of the conversation.

"Jasper and Alice recently went on a small vacation to a very unknown island off of South Africa. Unfortunately Alice contracted something while away. A unknown virus, which had a drastic effect on her immune system. They would not let her back into America. But, there was a way for us to fly her to a top of the art medical facility in Volterra, Italy. They would not let us stay for more than two weeks at a time. So we would go for two weeks, then come home for one. After about our third time coming home, we got a call that something happened, to Alice. She was kidnapped. Taken by a nurse who had just begun working there, and she was not completely healed by the disease. But we got her back, and were given permission to bring her home, since Carlisle would be able to care for her and see how she was progressing to get better." Edward stopped suddenly, and looked over at me, eyes wide, I could feel the fear he was sending my way.

Carlisle glanced at Edward's face then stepped toward Charlie, ready to pick up where Edward left off, as he saw the silent communication that was happeningbetween the three of us

"She has been progressing, but not eating very much, and sleeping a lot. I'm sorry we were so skeptical to invite you over, it was simply because we didn't know how she would handle it."

Charlie nodded, and I was surprised at the fact that he actually believed everything that was being told to him. Edwards head snapped up again, but this time Alice's did too. She clutched my shirt as a distant look filled her eyes. I shook her, trying to be near silent, getting her attention from her vision.

"Alice, Ali, what do you see?" Her panic hit me like a bricks... no harder. Her eyes met mine, for only a second before they were trained on the door. Edward was at our side in a second.

"Get her upstairs." He hissed, and I ran up at a human speed, as not to confuse Charlie. I quickly went into our room, and sat on the bed, rocking her gently as she pulled at my shirt.

"Alice, love, hon? What is it?" I was trying to pull her out of the vision, thankfully Edward came up, and knew just what she was seeing.

"It's not real Alice." He said, loudly, looking at me rocking her. "Fight back. She's trying to hurt you." I looked at him quizzically, but the pain on his face hit me, and suddenly Alice's fear was effecting me. I closed my eyes, trying to pace my breathing.

She yelped, then her eyes opened, and she pushed away from me, falling to the ground. Still terrified. Without thinking I reached to pick her up. She pushed away from me again, before letting out a small whimper. She then threw her arms around me, and fell into me. Restlessly crying into my shirt. I focused on calming her down before I started crying too.

"Alice, honey. What is it?" I asked gently, brushing through her hair with my hands. I was struggling to continue sending the calm her way. I was losing my control over the emotions, and Edward wasn't making it any easier.

"It's not real. She knows how to hurt you." Edwards warning tone filled the room, and Alice squeezed tighter. She was whimpering helplessly into my shirt as she was beat up by the visions that kept coming. Or replaying in her head. I couldn't tell which one.

"Alice. Focus." Edward commanded sternly, looking at her nervously. Her hands loosened their grip on my shirt, and she slowly opened her eyes. She looked at me nervously, before pushing herself into my chest, as if she was trying to disappear inside me.

"Is Charlie still downstairs?" She asked in a small voice, I cracked a smile. Always my worried Alice.

"He's downstairs." I confirmed, looking at her disappointed face

"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't realize that, I pulled you guys away from him." I looked at her. Her eyes were trying to hide what she just saw. She wanted to pretend as if the vision never happened.

"Whats wrong?" Her eyes widened at my question, and she grabbed my shirt again.

"They want to hurt you now." She whispered, laying her head against my shirt. "Can you promise to stay safe?" Edward closed his eyes, and rubbed his head. I imagined her thoughts were all over because that's where her emotions were. Before talking I focused on touching her in the places that relaxed her. I began to rub in gentle circles just below her collar bone, kissing the top of her head lightly.

"Al, stop. Relax." I turned her toward me and planted a kiss on her lips, hoping she would clam more as I did so. It worked. She pulled away, and breathed in a deep sigh, looking and sounding like the old Alice I knew and loved.

"I promise." I said, kissing her again. Then I stood up and slowly began to walk towards the stairs. We were down on the couch again, and Charlie came over to say hi, and when she saw him Alice smiled sheepishly.

"Hi Charlie." She said in a whisper. I pulled her in close to me. Charlie brought a hand down and ruffled her hair, smiling sadly. I sent him a calming wave.

"How ya doing kiddo?" He asked her softly. She let a small smile appear on her lips. She blinked slowly, I felt a little bad doing it, but i was making her tired. Edward nodded from behind Charlie. It was the right thing to do.

"Oh I'm awesome." He laughed quietly at her sarcasm, growing slightly concerned at the way her tired words slurred together. His eyes then travled up to me. "Jasper." He said politely. He was ways wary of me. Especially since he saw my and Alice's wedding photo. Evidently he didn't think we were old enough to be married. Or have a picture from that time period.

"Charlie." I responded sending more waves of peace over him. Alice turned her face into me to stifle a giggle at Charlie's discomfort around me. I sent more exhuastion her way as Charlie made more small talk. She picked her head up off my chest, able to hold it up for only seconds before it would fall back down. She was growing delirious with exhaustion. Charlie looked over at her, still concerned.

"You look like you could use a good resting there Alice." He spoke slowly to her, as if talking to a small child. She tried to hold her head up again before it fell back into my chest.

"Okay baby. No more. Don't move." She giggled, her eyes only half open, unfocused and crossed. Edward gave me a small smile, as Charlie watched our interaction curiosuly.

"Jazz, Alice." She kept saying, tracing her hands over my chest, only half conscious. "Jazz?" She stopped tracing as her hand go too heavy for her to lift.

"Yes Alice?" I knew Charlie was still watching, and I hoped she wasn't going to say anything questionable. I waited, glancing down to make sure she was still awake. Seeing her open eyes I said again. "Yes Alice?"

She looked up at my confused. "Yeah Jazz?" Edward laughed from where he was standing, I imagine her thoughts were very humorous to him, he nodded my way.

"Here. Let me show you what I did the other day." He walked over and scooped her up out of arms, sitting on the couch opposite to us. She was chewing on the tip of her finger looking at him. Glancing at Charlie I noticed there was a smile playing on his lips as well. The rest of the family came in and settled on the couches, probably drawn in by the rarity of the calm atmosphere.

Edward began to trace a straight line from Alice's chin to the base of her throat, She giggled at him, but she was growing noticeably less awake as he did so.

"Goodnight Alice." He whispered to her as she snuggled against him.

" 'night Jazz." she whispered as her eyes fell closed.

I rolled my eyes at Edward, and Charlie looked around. "How is she really doing? She looks a lot smaller than the last time I saw her..." He was so worried for her. And sometimes it was sweet but right now I just wanted him to butt out.

"She's doing as well as she could be dad. We're doing our best here with limited resources. But you saw her. She's happy." Bella came over and sat next to her dad. Trying to calm him down without my help. I offered to take Alice upstairs, just as Esme and Carlisle got Charlie into the kitchen and talking about work.

I laid down with her on our bed, thankful that she convinced me to get a soft mattress, because I was sure she was very comfortable laying the way she was. She pushed closer to me in her sleep filled with a calm I hadn't felt from her since shre returned, and it began to feel like things would be okay.

**okay. So I don't know if anyone is reading this, but I plan to still update simply as a chance to better my writing through practice. But I would love it if you reviewed when you read this, so I know.**

**Thanks.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Jasper POV**

Alice woke up sort of in a daze. She looked at me, lying on the bed and smiled, but didn't say anything. Her emotions were weak at best, but she also didn't look like she was having a vision. I gave her a minute before speaking, not wanting to startle her if she wasn't fully awake yet.

"Ali?" I tried to keep my voice as soft as possible while still knowing she would hear me. She didn't say anything, but looked up at me in reply. "Are you okay darling?" She licked her lips and took a long deep breath.

"Yes. Can we go hunting again?" I nodded, sitting up slowly, giving her a chance to get up on her own if she didn't want me to carry her. Instead, she crawled over to me and sat herself down in my lap, sighing.

"Are you okay honey?" I felt her nod into my chest, but something just felt off about the whole interaction. I was trying to remember if she seemed to be having any visions while she was sleeping that would explain her weird behavior now, but I couldn't think of anything that seemed too pressing. I was working on figuring out if Edward was in the house based on the emotional current I was getting. He wasn't So he wouldn't be any help. Alice looked up at me.

"Are you okay? She said, concerned, but still sort of dazed. Her eyes looked strange, like she was halfway in a vision. I ran with that idea.

"Yeah Alice. Why don't you go get a change of clothes from the closet before we go." She looked at me, still confused, and picked up the hem of her shirt.

"Where are we going?" She said, looking around the room. Her dear began to rise, as I heard the door downstairs shut. Edward had just arrived. He quickly came upstairs, but was still working not to alarm Alice.

"You wanted to go hunting honey." I said slowly, while replaying the conversation and Alice's social cues for Edward to see. He nodded at me fully caught up. We both looked at her as her fear spiked again. She shook her head against my chest.

"No hunting. No no thank you. I don't want to do that. We shouldn't do that." She said tensing up against me. I looked at Edward, and he mouthed _Volterra_ and shrugged. He was just as confused about what was going on in her head as I was.

"Alice, honey can you say my name?" She looked up at me and paused before tentatively saying

"Jasper..." I smiled at her and she looked excited for a minute, before glancing around the room and growing concerned again.

"And where are we baby girl?" She continued to look around the room. I made eye contact with Edward _is she seeing the room?_ He shook his head. He grew more and more alarmed. I could feel it rising in him. _Where is she in her head?_ He didn't look at me, his eyes were frozen on Alice as she dazedly scanned the room. Her eyes stopped on the window. It had begun to rain. A thunderstorm was off way in the distance. The humans likely couldn't hear it yet, but we could. Every once in a while if you looked hard enough you could see the sky light up with the lightening that was way off in the distance.

"Alice. Where are we?" I was looking at Edward as I asked. He still looked shocked. Alice pulled at her hair as she grew more distressed looking outside. The storm was growing closer. _Edward. _I commanded his attention in my mind. He look at me now, surprised, as if he forgot where he was too. Alice continued to look over my shoulder, Edward picked up his hands, and began to sign to me.

She's in her past. The asylum. She's remembering. She's not here. It's like she's dreaming but awake. Like a vision from the past.

_This could get dangerous son couldn't it._ he nodded at my silent question. Alice jumped as the thunder became more audible. _Get her back to sleep? _He nodded again. _Get Carlisle. Maybe warn everyone in case things don't go as planned. _He swiftly left the room, bringing his hands to his temples and rubbing in slow circles.

"Alice." I spoke slowly, she made a responsive noise in her throat. "Alice darling, can you look at me?" she peeled her eyes from the window slowly. They looked so innocent and scared. I was very thankful I didn't see what was in her head like Edward had to. I don't know that I could handle seeing the dark place we know she was stuck in.

She smiled cautiously as she looked at me waiting to figure out why I wanted her to look at me. "Edward and Carlisle are coming up soon. Is that okay?" She scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion and nodded slowly. I looked at her, giving her a little longer to process, then repeated it. "Edward and Carlisle are coming up soon. Is that okay?" Her eyes began to glance around the room. Although I imagine it must be awful, I wish I could know what she was seeing. She nodded slowly again as if she wasn't sure she was really allowed to answer.

A crack of thunder sounded outside, and she jumped in my arms, beginning to shake. "I'm sorry..." she whispered looking away nervously. Lightning struck and I knew there was going to be a problem if she was really remembering her past. She looked from the light flash out the window to my eyes, and at vampire speed shoved herself away from me. I knew she only had limited energy because of how little blood she had. But she didn't know, and she probably didn't remember her strength with the state she was in. She curled herself in a ball on the floor, whimpering and apologizing, telling me she didn't mean in. And asking me not to take her there again.

I took a slow step towards her, reaching my hands out, telling her I was safe. She jumped up, and began to back into the door. I heard Edward coming in _if she backs to you grab her. It'll be okay_ I was hoping he understood what I meant, and that he would trust me.

"Alice..." I cautioned, trying to send her waves of love and calm. "Alice I won't hurt you." She stopped backing up.

"Michael...?" I felt myself freeze, I felt my hate spill out before I could control it. Edward opened the door and wrapped his arms around her, likely hearing my thoughts, and maybe even hearing hers.

"No!" She screamed kicking against him. Emmett was up the stairs in a flash, looking from me to Edward to Alice, obviously conflicted on what to do.

"No! Michael! Help!" She thrashed in his arms like she's never done before, punching him repeatedly. Edward's face grew more and more strined and I felt myself weakening as her terror filled the room. Suddenly he cried out and she was lying on the ground for a second before she took of. She made it only a few steps before Emmett jumped in and wrapped his arms around her. He had her pinned in a way that she couldn't move her arms, and her head was pushed into his chest. She was still screaming at us, but it was very muffled.

"I'm sorry Ali." He said, but still not letting go. The emotions were running high, and Edward seemed to be frozen. She kept going and going, but I could feel her emotions weakening, her her cries becoming less and less.

"She's wearing herself out." Carlisle said from the place he maintained by the door. I nodded, gaining the strength to stand back up, and walk over to her. Emmett scooped her up once she stopped fighting, and carried her over to me. Her eyes were closed.

Once she was safely cradled in my arms, I gently shook her "Alice?" Her eyes fluttered, and opened slowly. She brought her hands to her head and pushed into it. Edward got up very slowly and left the room without saying anything.

"Jazz my head..." Her voice was strained, and I understood what she was feeling.

"Ali do you remember anything?" She seemed confused, but not afraid, or curious about what she just went through. All I could hear in my head was her calling me Michael as if he would protect her.

"Remember Charlie? You helped me sleep when Charlie came." She turned her head a little when she looked at me. "I sleep now. I remember." She was a little nervous now. "What else should I remember?" I looked up at Carlisle who gave me the slightest shake of his head.

"No no nothing. That's all I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You're head hurts?" She doubted me, but didn't seem to have the energy to press the issue any further.

"Yeah I guess so. Maybe I still need to hunt. But I don't want to. I don't feel like... I don't know. I don't feel like Alice." She smiled at me sheepishly, and looked away. Pulling at a strand of hair she looked outside, seeing the storm for the first time in her current memory she looked at me knowingly. Alice would play baseball in a thunder storm. But that is the only reason she would ever go outside during one. She obviously didn't fully understand why she didn't like them so much, but I was beginning to. "Oh. I get it." She said as the lightning flashed and she jumped just a little against me.

"That's okay Al, weather channel says it should be over in a few hours and then you can go." She smiled at him, still seeming unsure of herself, and wary of me.

"Where did Edward go?" She said, seeming to just notice that he walked out just as she woke up.

"He was heading back to his house with Bella. He just wanted to stop by to make sure you were doing okay. Catch up on where your head was while you were resting." Carlisle came forward, smiling the old Carlisle smile at her. "How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts." She said plainly, clearly still thinking about something else even as she spoke. "I think it maybe means my visions will come back soon. Then I'll finally be worth-" She stopped talking and looked around in alarm. "Oh. Never mind." In an attempt to change the subject she looked out the window.

"Alice, worth what?" I asked, gently turning her chin back so I could see her eyes again. Black as they were they stil gave me an even greater insight on what she was feeling than I already had. Eyes truly are a window to the inside.

"I didn't say worth... I said..." Edward appeard at the door as she trailed off. When she looke dup at him she knew she had lost this battle. He looked enraged. I was beginning to worry about him.

"Alice no." He said struggling to keep his voice calm than the anger that was flaring inside him. "Look around you. We are not some coven that picks and choses based on what we can get. Bella was welcome here before we even knew anything about her ability. Rosalie, Esme, Alice they aren't kept around because they're pretty and kind. We keep them because we love them. And that's it." She grew increasingly more uncomfrtable as he spoke, pushing herself against me more and more.

"What is he talking about Ali?" I asked, turning her chin toward me again so that she had no place to hide herself.

"Alice either you tell him or I will." Edward said boldly. I felt a familiar pulse of sassy Alice anger as her jaw steeled. They were obviously in some kind of silent battle. "Fine." Edward said indignantly, and I was suddenly reminder of the pre-Bella boy we once knew. He rolled his eyes at my though before including us on his and Alice's unintentional secret.

"They told Alice her worth was in her visions. That withou them we wouldn't want her. They asked her what else she would be good for. Why such a strong 'coven' would want some a small girl. They told her they could make her visions go away forever, and then she wouldn't fit in anywhere. They told her-"

"Edward..." She cried from my lap, sounding unsure of herself and broken. Looking into her eyes the weight of her pain hit me hard, and I realized she had been holding it in, in an effort to protect me. Carlisle noticed too.

"Edward." He began authoritatively, clearly disappointed in Edward's lack of regard for her emotion. "I think it best we let the two of them rest now." He motion for Edward and Emmett to follow him.

"You can't hide forever Al. It's not going to go away if you don't release it." His voice hold gentle undertones but the words were cutting. Alice caught that too.

"Don't be a hypocrite Ed." She shot back before he had the time to go. Carlisle turned slowly and looked at me questioningly. Their emotions were strong, but I didn't know what was going to happen. I shook my head once at him. _give them a minute_ the look said.

"Oh please. It's different and you know it." Edward shot back, taking one step toward us. I hated when they got upset at eachother like this. We all knew how much they regretted it later.

"Yeah keep telling yourself that. It's always different for you. Because your Edward, and you live by different rules don't you? So self pity, and self loathing are totally acceptable for you. But what about if someone could pick into your head? How about then. I see it Ed. I see it." She softened with the last words, but he wasn't having it. He was too fired up. I looked at Carlisle again, hoping we both had the same though. Get Bella. Emmett seemed to understand because he quickly slipped from view and rushed out of the house to their cabin.

"You are so full of it! As if I don't have every chance to tell everyone all of your-" He cut himself off as she gasped. But he wasn't done yet. "It wasn't about you Alice!" He shouted, and I suddenly realized there were two conversations going on. The one in her head and the one she was letting us hear.

"What was it about Edward! You tell me! As if you wouldn't have done the same! But it's always different when it's you isn't it?1" She was growing hysterical, and he was growing enraged, but Carlisle knew better than to step in now.

"You didn't think I didn't try?! We wouldn't just- God Alice who do you think we are?! How could you!" Carlisle and I realized at the same time. Edward wasn't truly angry. HE was scared for his sister. Carlisle shook his head at me. Let it go. So I did.

"How could YOU! How could YOU Edward!" She shot up in my arms and was now standing like he was. "You think this was about me? You don't know anything!" Her voice broke, his face hardened even more. Emmett and Bella were now at the door. They didn't seem to notice though. "But you! You run off because life isn't worth living and you say how could I?! He stayed! HE stayed! You don't know anything..." It was me. I stayed. I stayed alive when she could be dead. But Edward went when he thought it was Bella.

"Oh please." Edward's tone was so far from any way I'd ever heard him speak to her before. "You think he stayed on-" Alice took a step towards him

"You better watch yourself Edward." She warned. He remained strong, but chose not to finish.

"It was selfish. And you know it. Now we all have to pay." He made a move to leave the room, noticing Bella for the first time. With his back to Alice I could feel his anger fade into shame and sorrow.

"You think I don't know that?" Alice's voice was utterly broken now. It cut through me. "You know what I know Edward." She cracked again, a sob coming through her lips. Edward couldn't turn around. Bella loked shocked. "I wanted them to kill me. I couldn't bear knowing what I would bring to the family. I'm a curse Edward. I begged her to do it. I told them not to feed me. I knew what would happen!" I choked on her words, Edward whipped around and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Alice!" He cried, no one else could move.

"You know it Ed! I begged them. And they decided to make it slow! God Nessie found the note so fast! I don't know how she did it! I planned on 6 months. I knew it would be hard but it worked in my visions. I can't bring you all down anymore! They leave you alone if I'm gone. You're safe." She began to sob, Edward shook her simply repeating her name. "I just want you all safe..." She cried.

Bella covered her mouth with her hand, none of us knew what to do. Alice sobbed, but Edward had yet to hold her.

"Alice please..." He was fighting a sob, I could see it.

"I did it for you. For Ness. For Jazz. Carlisle. Esme. Emmett. Rose. Bella. I did it for you. I can't lead you into danger anymore. I can't hurt you if I'm gone. It took too long... please Edward..." She fell into him, He embraced her tightly.

"I won't let go." He whispered over and over

"I don't want to go back." She cried.

Bella slowly walked over, as Esme entered the room.

"Edward." Carlisle began getting everyone's attention. "Nessie, Jake, and Rose are waiting downstairs. I think we all need to sit down and talk." Bella nodded, putting a hand on Edwards shoulder, gently leading Alice back into my arms as she cried.

"I'm sorry." She whispered into my shirt.

"No no Alice, nothing to be sorry for. We Just want to know everything we need to know. The good and the bad." She nodded.

"Will I have to-"

"No Alice." Edward cut her off, then to fill us in he said "You won't have to repeat everything you just said. Nor will you have to repeat what I said. But I am the only one who knows what you're thinking right now. And that is what Carlisle wants to hear."

She nodded, the anger all but gone around us, as we all made our way to the dining room for a family meeting to figure out what exactly just went on.


	10. Chapter 10

**Alice POV **

Sitting around the table made it much easier to realize how exhausted I was. The whole 'needing to sleep' thing was getting really old. I looked up at Bella, who was thankfully to my left. They apparently felt Ed and I needed to be separated.

"How did you do this all the time?" I asked. She looked a little alarmed, before softening.

"I know Alice, pity the humans. Thankfully I am no longer, and neither are you." She added, seemingly for good measure. As if I forgot what I was. Jasper chuckled from my other side.

I tired to look at him, but turning my head was a lot of work, so I just settled with letting it fall onto his shoulder.

Carlisle looked at me cautiously, and smiled. Everyone was looking at me as if they looked to hard I would shatter. I guess my current position didn't help much.

He then looked at Edward.

"We all know things have been really difficult for us the past... few months..." Carlisle began uncertainly, standing at his position at the head of the table. He was holding Esme's hand on the table, seeming to need the extra strength today. "But we need to talk about the unspoken thoughts that only a... select few of us know." Rosalie rolled her eyes at the indirect calling out of Edward. "But we need to discuss the things that were said earlier today."

Jasper took a breath and to my surprise began to speak. Carlisle was clearly expecting this though as he sat down.

"For those of you who stayed downstairs for the exchange earlier this afternoon, we had a small glimpse into Alice and Edwards minds. Although I'm sure you didn't have to be upstairs to hear every single word that was said." His voice tightened, and I knew he was still upset with Edward. But it wasn't all his fault... Jasper leaned his head down to mine. "I'm right here. Okay. He has to say this." He kissed my head, and pulled my hand into his under the table.

"I've had a glimpse inside Alice's head since she got home. You all know that. You know it's been hard for me when she is stuck in a memory, and all she's seeing a feeling. But you don't know what goes on every other time. And I do." Jasper leaned down and kissed my head again.

"Aro had been threatening Alice for a while before she left. Making decision with violent outcomes, I had seen a few of these, but she would later convince me that they were no big deal, she knew it wouldn't happen. She would see it if the Volturi decided to come after. Well we all know that Alice and Jasoer took a little trip to the islands recently. The visions were getting stronger, and she needed to be away from me." I was thankful Jasper knew everything up to this point. I didn't want it to come out that I had been lying to him at the family meeting.

"It was there that Aro's 'decisions' became more eminent, and it seemed like the danger that was being presented was coming to pass at any time. He told Alice that he would come for Jasper if Alice did not pay them a visit so they could talk. Unfortunately for us that vision happened while they were away. And Alice waited to slip out until I was not around." I turned my face into Jasper, I didn't want to see everyone staring at me for the next part of the story.

"She went thinking that they were really going to talk. Alice, always having a plan had a plan to stall them and tell them she just needed more time to say goodbye. Then, once she knew Jasper would be safe for a little while longer she would come home and tell us everything and we would figure something out. What she failed to add into her plan was the insistence with which Aro would want to read her mind, going to far as to have Alec attack her so he could reach her." I shuddered at the memory and I felt Jasper stiffen under me. Alec and his sense eliminating power was not something I was too eager to remember. Edward let that sink in like the good story teller he was before continuing on with the play of events.

"Well we can all see how he responded to her plan. It didn't go well. But like I said before we all know Alice has a plan. She knew that if it didn't go well she would either be stuck with them 'forever' or get away- in her head getting away meant leading us into danger- so that wasn't really an option to her. She worked it out in her head so that if she got stuck there... they would..." He didn't know how to finish. I picked up my head.

"Plan B worked in a way that if they didn't let me go they would kill me." Esme's head dropped in sorrow, and the emotional atmosphere in the room hardened. Jasper was like an unmoving stone of anger underneath me, in no state to calm everyone down. I nodded at Edward and he struggled to continue.

"She knew the things they were do to her. She knew what would happen if she didn't eat. So did Aro. In Alice's head it would take 6 months. At the rate Aro was going it would have taken 4." Jasper, if possible hardened even more.

"It was by pure luck that Nessie grabbed that purse the day she did." I explained, looking at everyone's shocked faces in the room. "I had hope that I would be dead when you came, and you could all finally make peace with each other. I would no longer be a curse to fight over. Aro would see the pain, and leave Edward alone. I saw it. Everything worked. I figured the fact that I didn't see Nessie using that purse until next ear meant she wouldn't use it until next year. I didn't factor in the Jacob side of things. I can't see when he's there. And he was there when she got the bag." Edward ran a stressed hand through his hiar, looking much older than the 17 year old boy he was frozen into.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Rosalie stood up, obviously furious. My head fell back onto Jasper's shoulder. I had no energy left. "Alice we are a family. We work together. It's not just-"

"Rosalie." Jasper spoke sternly, and loudly, using what I like to call his military voice. It shut her up really fast. "Don't you think that everything you want to say, Edward already did? You heard them, I heard them. He said what you wanted to say. Let it go. She doesn't need this." I tired to nod but everything was getting blury, so I made sure not to move.

"Yeah well how do we know she's not going to just run off again. But this time they won't wait so long and then she's really dead!" I felt Edward shoot a concerned look my way, but I couldn't really think clearly enough to tell him not to worry. Everything was starting to get darker too.

"Look at her Rose. She's obviously not going to walk out the front door. She can't even hunt on her own yet." I heard Jasper defending me. I think Rose walked away.

"hmm..?" I tried to get Jasper's attention. It wasn't working. I tried again. He looked down at me, alarmed. But that was the last thing I saw, before my eyes closed again.

**Jasper POV**

I was beyond angry with Rosalie, to the unfortunate point where I didn't hear the mall noises Alice was making next to me. It wasn't until Edward came over that I realized how weak she was. She was giving off almost no emotion, and I imagine her though process was alarmingly slow too. Upon her falling asleep, I picked her up out of the too big chair she was curled into and sat on the couch with her. The rest of the family came and joined us, probably needing to discuss everything that we heard.

"She was so close to being..." Esme couldn't finish the thought that I knew was going to haunt us all for along time. I subconsciously pulled her closer to me, playing with the curled strands of hair that had fallen in front of her face.

"We should hunt again when she wakes up." Carlisle said, looking better than he had in days, but still not as in control as usual. But it was Nessie I was most worried about. And Jake. I worried she would somehow feel responsible for what happened. Like she should have known that the note was hidden in her bag or something. But maybe Alice knew that would happen and she could be prepared to handle it when she woke up.

"She's safe now." Edward said, sitting on the sofa across from us, one arm around his wife, the other around his daughter, who was also holding Jake's hands. He may not be a Cullen, but he stepped into our lives in such a time that we probably should just turn him into one. Bella disagree's.

"I'm worried for her once the visions return. We're going to have to keep a close eye on what they are planning." Carlisle said, looking down at his adoptive daughter worriedly. "I don't want her trying to handle anything alone again. It's just not going to do any good. Especially with that Michael there. We've already seen her get lost in a memory of the past, and we don't know if that happened at all while she was in Italy." Esme nodded her encouragement. We had to come up with a plan. But no one wanted to fight again.

"It's been so long since we even last heard from them..." Bella spoke the issue that was plaguing all our minds. It's been seven years. We hoped it would be forever, but we didn't want to believe a fantasy. "They added Michael too. Why now. What are they preparing for?"

Edward nodded. "I thought the same thing. Aro did a wonderful job of hiding it from me. But there has to be something. Maybe an old coven trying to rise to power and over take them. But I can't for the life of me think of anyone who has powers at all equal to that of the Volturi. I mean Bella is one of the only vampires we know to exist that can resist their power. It just doesn't add up." He was right.

"But," I knew they were hoping I would give some military advancement, but I didn't know enough to even begin to theorize, "if this new coven is real, maybe they have stayed hidden long enough to become stronger. Yes Jane and Caius are powerful with their abilities. But we know they are weak with their age, and weak because of their trust in their power. Say there was a coven building that kept up in the news, but hid itself from all else. Then there would be no suspecting them of attempting anything, because there is no regard for their ability."

"And maybe by time Aro realized he should be paying attention to this coven, it was almost too late. But I still don't understand how they found Michael or why he was so essential for them to have..." Edward's mind was whirling, I could practically see it in his eyes. It was Emmett though that really got us.

"Well maybe it's a female coven. Mainly women, mainly searching for their mates. Maybe they needed Michael so that he could convince them with his ability to stop trying to over throw them. But, then again, did you see the way his skin looked. He looked like a Volturi. Papery, leathery, like them. So maybe he's not as new as we think he is, but they just kept him hidden until the right time. I mean think about it. We reached out to every nomad and coven when they were coming for us. What are the odds no one even mentions this guy with a unique power like that. I mean I listen to anything Rose says, so he can make 19 girls fall in love with him, they would want to make him happy, and do what he says. That's a pretty valuable tool to have." Bella looked the most surprised out of all of us that Emmett just said something extremely important that made a lot of sense.

"So they were hiding him. Did they know about his connections to Alice's past?" Carlisle asked, speaking to no one in particular, but Emmett was still going strong.

"Of course they did. That's why they hid him. If we knew about him, we could prepare to protect her against him. But if they only introduced him when she was alone, vulnerable, and much weaker than she normally was, then it would be much easier for him to affect her." He stated this as if it was the most obvious fact. Emmett never failed to stun me with his deep thinking in trying circumstances.

"But now we have the upper hand. Because when they come here they're not going to get her alone, and we won't let him close enough to touch her. And we have Bella." Edward kissed his wife on her temple, smiling proudly at her. I knew the Volturi were going to come back, I just wished we could know when. I was suddenly realizing how dependent we were on Alice's visions, and they're correctness.

"But," my mind was suddenly connecting the dots, and forming a plan that would make sure they leave her alone," if Alice gets her visions, and her strength, back soon we can find a way to make all of this work in our favor. We need to make decisions before they come so that we can see the outcome. And once we make a decision that results in Aro's demise, we stick with that. It worked last time. But, it can't just be Aro. We have to find a way to get rid of one of them for good. We have to make our threat real, not just a 'this could be your future' but give him a taste of 'come back again and this is your future.' " Edward was clearly mulling the idea over in his head.

"But Jasper we don't want to resort to violence. We know things can slip through for Alice, and we don't want anyone getting hurt." Carlisle spoke reasonably. But I was still harboring some anger so I felt the words come out before I thought them through.

"They obviously weren't worried about hurting anyone when they tortured my wife in an attempt to slowly kill her. To hell with trying to show them some mercy. They crossed a line, and if I can get them all dead I will." I knew it wouldn't be what Carlisle wanted to hear but it was the truth. I want;ed them dead and gone for good. I never wanted them to scare Alice again.

"But we don't know when they're coming. We can't depend on Alice getting her sight back before they decide to move." Edward said, looking down at her with creased eyebrows. "But... it may be already coming back." As he said that I felt her low emotional waves disappear as she became limp in my arms. Edwards eyes were trained on her as she got lost in a vision in her sleep.

I felt her come back, and her eyes fluttered open. Edward didn't look at peace, but he wasn't alarmed either.

"Ali," she looked up at me, still clearly exhausted, but awake and coherent, "What did you see?"

"They are going to come. But they want to wait. They think we'll let out guard down after a while." She said quietly, pushing herself into a sitting position on my lap.

"Years?" I asked, getting a quick shake of her head.

"They don't have that kind of time, at least that's what Jane said. She said they couldn't wait much longer. But Michael says they don't need to come. Marcus agreed. They don't think I'm worth it. Marcus said they would be wasting valuable preparation time by coming here and fighting with us. He also says they'll likely come back empty handed." She smiled at the last part, liking the thought that one of the Volturi knew we would be victorious in the end. "But I don't understand what they are talking about. Hopefully I'll learn more soon." She said, rubbing at her eyes and beginning to stretch.

"Alice that 's very, very good. Why don't you Jasper and Emmett go out and hunt again. Is that okay?" Carlisle asked her, standing and walking toward us.

"Can Edward come too? Just in case something happens..." She seemed nervous to ask, but maybe that was just the tiredness slipping into her voice. Of course Carlisle nodded, so I stood up with her in my arms and the four of us made our way to the back door.

"Stay safe." Carlisle warned as the rest of the family dispersed to their own activities of the day. Alice still seemed to weak to walk on her own, so I carried her as we ran at full speed into the woods. The turned her face into my chest, closing her eyes. She felt relaxed enough, but I think hunting still made her a little nervous after everything she went through with the humans in Italy.

But her visions were coming back, and she was getting stronger. I knew it. Things would be okay, that's what I had to keep telling myself.

**Hey guys, I hope you're enjoying... please review, because I'd love to know if people are actually reading! Thanks **

**~Bea **


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